Secure Hard Disk Deletion

Hey,

I remember reading in a magazine a programme which was linux based programme in which you could set the number of passes etc... (that could securely over write windows partitions). I wondered if anyone knew the name of the programme?

Thanks :smile:

Reply 1

laser

10

shred can do it on single files, and wipe appears to be able to do it for partitions - http://www.linux.com/feature/135944.

Google is your friend.

Reply 2

supreme

OP

4

laser

shred can do it on single files, and wipe appears to be able to do it for partitions - http://www.linux.com/feature/135944.

Google is your friend.

Thanks

Reply 3

Hellier

8

Why are you wanting to wipe hard drive in the first place?

Reply 4

alexsheppard11

3

use ccleaner to write over temp files. it has various delete options, where you can specify the number of passes.

otherwise, i have used western digital lifeguard tools, or something like that, to fill a hard drive with zeroes (i.e. format)

Reply 5

fire2burn

17

The best way to wipe a hard drive is to dismantle it, smash it to pieces, dip it in corrosive drain cleaner, and then burn it.

Depends on how much you have to hide i guess :P

There's plenty of software that helps in deletion, just google for it. Alot will use the Gutmann method, utilising 35 passes which should be more than enough.

Reply 6

alex_hk90

19

DBAN is the one that I've heard of: http://www.dban.org/

Reply 7

Turnor

fire2burn

The best way to wipe a hard drive is to dismantle it, smash it to pieces, dip it in corrosive drain cleaner, and then burn it.

You just need a powerful magnet :p:

Reply 8

Mustard-man

18

Do you guys reckon it's necessary to do it if you're sending back a hard drive to a company like Seagate to get another replacement in return? Nothing dodgey or extreme. Just lots of personal stuff.

Reply 9

Turnor

Mustard-man

Do you guys reckon it's necessary to do it if you're sending back a hard drive to a company like Seagate to get another replacement in return? Nothing dodgey or extreme. Just lots of personal stuff.

I would, but I'm generally quite paranoid. Either way, it doesn't take much effort, just a bit of time, and at least you know you won't be handing out all your personal details to god only knows who.

Reply 10

MrMat18

16

The only way to completly and 100% delete everything from a hardrive is to physically destory it, if you use software, something will always remain.

Reply 11

alex_hk90

19

Mustard-man

Do you guys reckon it's necessary to do it if you're sending back a hard drive to a company like Seagate to get another replacement in return? Nothing dodgey or extreme. Just lots of personal stuff.

You might as well give DBAN a run. After backing up everything of course. :smile:

Reply 12

Mustard-man

18

Turnor

I would, but I'm generally quite paranoid. Either way, it doesn't take much effort, just a bit of time, and at least you know you won't be handing out all your personal details to god only knows who.

alex_hk90

You might as well give DBAN a run. After backing up everything of course. :smile:

Okay. I tried using killdisk before and the ETA was something ridiculous like 2 days. The drive is 2.5" 320gb and I was running the drive externally through USB... I'll give DBAN a shot, but any idea how long that would take?

Reply 13

alex_hk90

19

Mustard-man

Okay. I tried using killdisk before and the ETA was something ridiculous like 2 days. The drive is 2.5" 320gb and I was running the drive externally through USB... I'll give DBAN a shot, but any idea how long that would take?

According to the FAQ it should take a few hours: http://www.dban.org/faq/index.html#n31
But maybe not if it's running via USB.

Reply 14

rollover, pudding

ew, usb?

uhm, if you're sending it back, just copy over everything you want to keep, delete everything else until it appears empty, ccleaner it, uninstall everything, lalala

use a program to completely clean the remains up (including everything out of your recycle bin), reformat lalala.

yeah.

Reply 15

Mustard-man

18

alex_hk90

According to the FAQ it should take a few hours: http://www.dban.org/faq/index.html#n31
But maybe not if it's running via USB.

Thanks, I'll give it a go in a few days.

rollover, pudding

ew, usb?

uhm, if you're sending it back, just copy over everything you want to keep, delete everything else until it appears empty, ccleaner it, uninstall everything, lalala

use a program to completely clean the remains up (including everything out of your recycle bin), reformat lalala.

yeah.

Yeah, the hard drive is slightly faulty. I also formatted it externally but it won't allow me to install the OS. Hence the return.

I backed everything up, but whilst trying to reinstall Xubuntu it just froze and so I had to swith the laptop off, that's when the hard drive messed up. Ah well, I get a replacement for free anyway...

Reply 16

Turkishee

8

The driver may not be faulty, your mobo might simply not run an OS through USB lol?

Reply 17

Knightsy Boy!

Your trying to run an OS through a USB? Hm...

Try File monster if you want to permanently delete pictures, documents etc. But to Delete everything i have heard of a few programs but cant recall the names.

A hammer. simple as?

kizzers

A hammer. simple as?

It's not as secure as you may think. There are better ways of deleting the data, a hammer leaves most of the data in tact, it just destroys its physical case

Secure Hard Disk Deletion

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